BA (Hons) Illustration (with Foundation year)
Course overview
Start date
September 2021
Subject area
Art and Design
Attendance
Full-time, 4 years
Part-time
Learning
On campus, dual delivery
Course summary
First we prepare you for your degree during the Foundation year, bringing you up to speed with academic skills and a firm grounding in the subject. Then you can go on to do the full undergraduate degree.
This BA has an extremely broad remit, from editorial publishing through to the guerrilla activists of Street Art, from book and magazine cover-design to zines and graphic novels.
You’ll have the opportunity to develop your technical skills in drawing, printing, publishing, book-arts and object-making alongside the crucial media know-how to thrive in a swiftly developing visual culture.
At the University of East London we place an emphasis on the narratives of our lives and about responding to the world in both image and text. Every human has a story and this course is about finding and valuing you own narrative.
Digital technology has had a profound impact on our culture, especially on the world of visual communication, but the importance of the individualised creative ‘voice’ has never been so important.
Return to campus: dual delivery
In a Covid-secure environment, enjoy learning on our state-of-the-art campuses and flex between online delivery
Find out moreIndustry insight
You’ll be taught by professional artists and designers and have access to the best facilities in our superbly equipped workshops
Kick-start to your career
You’ll have opportunities to take part in leading illustration competitions that will showcase your work to the professional world.
East London
You’ll be studying in east London, one of the most vibrantly creative areas in Europe, close to the established cultural hub of central London and the exciting new one in Stratford.
Karolina Chojnacka
BA (Hons) Communication and Cultural Studies
During my Foundation year, I learned study skills, step by step, in an engaging way, so when I started the full course, I was better able to focus on the theoretical content, rather than worrying about how to write essays. It was also a great chance to learn with students from different courses and backgrounds.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Maintenance Loan
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation. How much you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and whether you are currently on welfare benefits. The maximum loan you can apply for is £12,729.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Supplementary Grants
The government also offer the following additional support:
- Parents' Learning Allowance
- Adult Dependants' Grant
- Childcare Grant
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
- All nursing and many allied health students on courses from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year from the government.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance or contact Student Finance England.
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
- Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
- Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
- Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
- Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
- Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
- Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
- Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
- Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
- Civic Engagement Scholarship - £1,000
- EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
- ELSEF Scholarship - £1,000
- UTC Scholarship - £1,500
- Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
You don't need to pay this up front.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
Maintenance Loan
Part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
From academic year 2018/19, part-time students can access maintenance loans from Student Finance England.
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation.
Part-time students need to study their courses at a rate of at least
25% of an equivalent full-time course in each academic year.
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance
We appreciate that finance is one of the key considerations when you are applying to university. That's why alongside your Government loan, you can apply for scholarships to help towards your finances. We have invested over £2 million worth of scholarships to financially assist new students, starting in September 2019. If you are awarded a scholarship you don't need to pay it back.
All students will receive:
Ebooks
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the list below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you are a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Price per 30 credit module.
EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course in September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fees regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA.
At UEL, we understand that studying in another country is a big financial commitment. If you apply early for an undergraduate, you may be entitled to a scholarship of up to £3,000.You can find out more about the international scholarships here.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) also run an Emergency International Fund to assist international students in hardship.
You can contact our SMART team on 02082233333 or study@uel.ac.uk
As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start- a total of £11,385- in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa here. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money. Please make sure you also factor in the fees for the visa application and immigration health surcharge when budgeting.
* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA pages for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.
Deposits and paying by instalments
International students are required to pay a deposit prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions here.
After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.
Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.
Email: international@uel.ac.uk
Entry requirements
- September 2021
-
Degree with Foundation Year
64
New UCAS Points
Access to HE Diploma (QAA approved) with 60 credits overall and 45 credits at Level 3
We will also consider the UEL New Beginnings pre-entry course
The portfolio should show evidence of observational drawing, the development of an idea through to a completed illustration, and techniques and processes that you have worked with. We are particularly interested in seeing your sketchbooks / journals to see how you develop your ideas.
At interview you should be prepared to discuss your work, ideas and ambitions. You should also be able to discuss graphic artists, illustrators or animators who influence you.
Overall IELTS score of 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent).
If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English programme. The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course. Find out more here.
Level 2 equivalences such as Level 2 Functional Skills in English / Maths, Level 2 Key Skills in Communication / Application of Number and Level 2 Adult Literacy / Adult Numeracy
Please note that some courses require applicants to meet the entry requirements outlined on the course page. Our pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance Team are able to provide further advice on entry requirements and suitability for study.
What you'll learn
This exciting and stimulating course will give you a practical foundation in all the varied activities within the hugely diverse world of graphic arts.
The course is underpinned by drawing and we've structured it around a series of projects that address both the practical issues that you may encounter as a professional but also the broader cultural or social-economic world that you will be moving into.
You'll be exposed to a wide range of techniques, both direct and indirect, digital and analogue, from printmaking, painting, drawing, collage, object making, book-making, publishing and graphic novels.
We place a strong emphasis on drawing and the hand-made throughout the course.
In your first year, you’ll undertake a number of projects and workshops that teach about different sorts of materials and ways of working. In your second year, we’ll introduce you to some professional practice in ‘live’ projects.
These include the opportunity to tackle the leading ‘House of Illustration’ book illustration competition, which offers you a potential shop window in the professional world.
By your third year, you’ll be moving more from directed projects to your own independent creations as you build your own distinctive portfolios.
What you'll study and when
We consistently review our courses to ensure we are up-to-date with industry changes and requirements from our graduates. As a result, our modules are subject to change.
- Found – all core
- Year 1 – all core
- Year 2 – all core
- Year 3 – all core
How you'll be assessed
We'll give you feedback throughout all of your practice modules. You'll document and reflect on this feedback and your learning in general in a ‘research journal’. We monitor these journals in one-to-one tutorials throughout the learning period before you submit them for marking at the end of the module.
You'll also be given the opportunity to develop assignment tasks. The two main forms of assessment for practice modules are the journal and your portfolio.
Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with UEL’s assessment and feedback policy.
Course specification Foundation YearHow you'll learn
The aim of this course is develop you as an imaginative, confident, creative individual capable of exploit and adapting to a rapidly changing world.
The course has its own very distinct flavour because it’s not directed at or bound by the conventions of industry. We want you to give full vent to your creativity and explore all sorts of areas where your illustration skills could be used.
You’ll be taught by talented, creative individuals, too. Our academic staff, headed by Fine Arts specialist Martin Barrett, are all admired professional practitioners in their varied fields. Valerie Pezeron is an illustrator, and Mikey Georgeson is… well, a man of many parts from painter to illustrator-singer-songwriter!
As well as receiving supportive personal tuition, you’ll learn in superb facilities. We have outstanding book and journal-making equipment, a printmaking workshop, a wood and 3D workshop, plaster and casting workshops as well as a fully-equipped Mac lab and 3D laser cutting gear.
You’ll enjoy visits to galleries and museums and, even if you choose not to take up the opportunities we offer to study abroad, don’t worry. You’ll be learning amid the wonderfully vibrant creative atmosphere of east London. There could be no more stimulating setting for your studies.
• Guided independent study
We are investing in key areas beyond your studies including
our career services, library and well-being, to be available both face-to-face
on campus and online with many of these available 24/7. We have new, modern
library facilities on both campuses offering inspirational environments for
study and research. Libraries contain resources in print and digital formats, a
range of study spaces and dedicated librarian who can assist with your
learning.
• Academic
support
Students are supported with any academic or subject related
queries by an Academic Advisor, module leaders, former and current UEL
students.
If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as
academic writing, maths or IT, our Skillzone and English for Academic Purposes
we offer workshops, drop-in sessions and one-to-one appointments to help our
students achieve their potential. You can receive advice and guidance on all
aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks
located on all three campuses. Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature
centralised helpdesks to cater for your every need. UEL provides also support
and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties
(SPDs).
• Workload
Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning
and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and
individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each
module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
Year 1: scheduled teaching – 300 hours; guided independent
study – 900 hours.
Year 2: scheduled teaching – 300 hours; guided independent
study – 900 hours.
Year 3: scheduled teaching – 300 hours; guided independent
study – 900 hours.
The size of classes can vary depending on the nature of the course,
module and activity. This can range from large groups in a lecture theatre
setting, to smaller groups taking part in seminars and collaborative work. You
will receive your personalised timetable at the beginning of the academic year
dependent on your course.
Who will teach on this course
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
Your future career
Our Illustration graduates progress into a wide variety stimulating jobs. Some become editorial illustrators, working on magazines or designing book covers. Others go into teaching the subject themselves or working for graphic design companies.
A few have even landed jobs as technicians within the University itself. They just can’t tear themselves away from UEL’s winning atmosphere!
Preparing you for your life beyond university is key for us. Each year, we have an annual ‘Detour Ahead’ week, when leading industry figures visit us to offer invaluable insight and advice about further careers and entrepreneurship in the art and design world.
Some of our students grasp their opportunities well before they leave our course. For example, Martin Reznik, one of our outstanding graduates who is now in hot demand as a magazine illustrator, was already designing apps for a company in Los Angeles as a student.
Then there’s the story of a group of friends who set up their own company while studying at UEL.
They began as a university society, just wanting to find a way of making their own comics more visible. Now, after graduation, they’ve grown into a business, Backwards Burd, offering publishing services and giving new illustrators and artists a fresh showcase.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.
